Shop Life 2.0

[HipMF]

Merge collector saga continues...

I came up with a jig to use the sawzall contraction to cut the tubes (piece of angle iron, some door shims, and electrical tape). Tried it out and was not satisfied with the results. After that, I came up with a different plan to make a jig with the CNC router and the mill at work. However, in the interest of actually getting something done, I changed my mind and just did it the way I usually do things. The hard way.

Everything needed to build a merge collector:

Many hours spent on this. Will just buy a collector next time.

I forgot the camera at home, and didn't take any in-process pictures. The results turned out okay though. Some small gaps, but shouldn't cause a problem.

Next step is to make a turbo flange. After that I'll finally be able to do the fun part.

[HipMF]

Mill-drill sending a 1.5" holesaw cup through 3/8" steel like it was butter.

The trick with hole saws is to set the RPM as low as it will go and leave the belts loose to act as a clutch in case things go south. Very little heat generated, and the cup is still sharp. Could probably do this all day without wrecking it, compared to using a drill press which will burn it up trying to up drill through sheet metal...

[HipMF]

Did some precision sawzalling

Finished up with the grinder.

Flattened out the top of the collector and tacked that on.

And started running some tubes.

Looking good so far. Unfortunately it will have to come back apart to get welded. I'll have to pull the collector apart to weld 360 degrees around the tubes that connect to it. It'll be a challenge to get at everything that needs to be welded. Will definitely have to sit down and practice on some scrap before I start on this.

[GunMetalGrey]

Can confirm that this stuff is shaping up to be quite awesome. 

[HipMF]

More progress.

After figuring out where to run the last two pipes I decided to take it back apart and start welding stuff. My welding isn't pretty but it should be good enough.

Where I left off tonight.

Test fit in the car. It's snug.

I've still have some more welding to do, but I'm pretty happy with how it's shaping up. It was a pretty ambitious project, so I'll be happy when I'm at the point where I can cross "manifold" off the to-do list.  Hopefully I'll have some time this week to make a flange for the downpipe. That will be the next project.

[B C]

Great work, Mike! 

Im enjoying these updates

[HipMF]

snap said:

Great work, Mike! 

Im enjoying these updates

Thanks. The goal is to have the car running by April. It's hard to believe the engine has been out of the car for 7 weeks already, so if anything I'm probably a little behind schedule. The header is obviously the most complicated and difficult part as far as fabrication is considered, so hopefully things will start to come together faster after I get the exhaust sorted out.

I'm also planning to build a legit ECU harness from scratch, so that will take some time. Sustained progress will be the key to meeting my self-imposed deadline, so you can look forward to weekly updates until spring.

[m42b32]

That looks great!!

[Jdesign]

Nice Update!

[HipMF]

Thanks @patsbimmer1 for getting me nice discount on a big box of stuff from ECS.

Didn't accomplish much this weekend, but the manifold is nearly done. I just need to get a longer burr to clean up some of the welds inside the collector.

My intercooler also arrived, so if making a downpipe isn't enough to keep me busy, I can try to figure out how to get that mounted up.

[Jdesign]

HipMF said:

My intercooler also arrived, so if making a downpipe isn't enough to keep me busy, I can try to figure out how to get that mounted up.

What is this out of? It looks like a F30/32 intercooler?

[patsbimmer1]

That manifold is looking great!

[suspenceful]

Jdesign said:

What is this out of? It looks like a F30/32 intercooler?

I'm also curious...

I have a stock N54 intercooler that I would've parted with.

[HipMF]

Jdesign said:

What is this out of? It looks like a F30/32 intercooler?

suspenceful said:

I'm also curious...

I have a stock N54 intercooler that I would've parted with.

It's from an ecoboost mustang.

An N54 intercooler is twice as thick. I might have used one, but I wanted something with normal slip-fit connections instead of the weird clippy things that BMW uses.

[HipMF]

Ecoboost intercooler is too wide. I've only got 26" between the frame rails and I haven't been able to find anything that will fit nicely in there. This one is about 28". I was thinking I'd just do some sweet mods to core support to make it fit, but it looks like I still wouldn't be able to get it to fit where i want it. Back on the hunt for an intercooler...

Got a longer burr and finished up the grinding I wanted to do on the manifold. Back to my hobby of making artisanal turbo flanges (aka: still doing things the hard way):

The last one was easy because the shape was mostly straight lines, so it was easy to cut out with the sawzall. This one; not so much. I should have had it laser-cut like the header flange, but it's too late for that now.

The dream:

After a lot of cutting, grinding and filing, it was on to the mini-lathe to cut a shoulder to match the turbo's flange.

Finally putting down some decent welds. Filets are a lot easier to make look nice than butt-welds.

And where I left off:

I was hoping to keep the existing exhaust unmodified so that I could drop a stock motor back in without having to change anything. That's not going to happen. It's a really awkward number of weird bends that need to happen in too small of a space. If I cut it back 6 or 8 inches from where it is right now my life will get a lot easier. Brake line will have to get moved somewhere less hot...

[YoungCR]

Keep the exhaust section you cut off and then make a matching flange, then you could just swap the turbo downpipe section out still.

[HipMF]

YoungCR said:

Keep the exhaust section you cut off and then make a matching flange, then you could just swap the turbo downpipe section out still. 

That's pretty much what I was planning. Hopefully the turbo works out and I won't need it.

[straight6pwr]

i like your dedication to using the tools you have at hand.

the manifold looks great!

[GunMetalGrey]

You never cease to amaze me with what you can make with basic tools.
It's looking awesome, and I can't wait to hear it running!

[Jdesign]